Ring of Belfast—Part II
A City of Clocks, Gardens and Universities
After leaving Cave Hill behind, it was time to discover a different side of Belfast.
A city of students, Victorian architecture, elegant gardens and remarkable landmarks.
Our journey began at Queen’s University Belfast, one of the most prestigious universities on the island of Ireland. With its red-brick Gothic Revival architecture, it feels more like Oxford or Cambridge than the Belfast many visitors expect.
Just a short walk away lie the Botanic Gardens, a green oasis in the heart of the city. Here visitors can explore the famous Palm House, one of the oldest surviving glasshouses of its kind, and the Tropical Ravine, a fascinating collection of exotic plants housed in a restored Victorian building.
From there we continued into the city centre to visit Belfast City Hall, the architectural symbol of Belfast’s industrial golden age.
Nearby stands Albert Memorial Clock, Belfast’s own leaning tower, which has become one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
The final stop was Europa Hotel, a building that witnessed some of the most turbulent years of Belfast’s modern history and today stands as a symbol of the city’s transformation.
Belfast embraces its past without being trapped by it.
And nowhere is that more visible than in the place we will visit next.
Titanic Quarter.
🚢 To be continued…
